DECEMBER 5, 1958

BOSTON—The whole world reacted with horror to the school fire in Chicago in which so many
children were trapped and died. So far the only explanation seems to be that someone,
perhaps a child, threw a lighted cigarette into a scrap basket but this has not been
confirmed and maybe never shall be.

One feels that with the drills that are usually carried on no fire could have reached
such terrific proportions without being discovered in time to get the children out.

The tragedy has touched the hearts of people throughout the world, and I hope it will
mean increased care on the part of all of us who have an obligation to see that schools
and hospitals are very carefully guarded against fire.

Before long in our city of New York there will come up before the budget director
a request for more reading clinics.

In 1955 the Board of Education launched the first reading clinic to serve emotionally
disturbed children who are retarded readers. In December, 1956, a second clinic was
opened in Brooklyn, and this autumn three new clinics have been opened. These five
clinics provide service for over 1,200 children.

This group has one overall administrator and the staff of each clinic consists of a psychologist full time,
a psychiatric social worker full time, a psychiatrist part time, and three reading
counsellors.

For the most part the children referred to these clinics come from the 4th grade.
They have to have average or better-than-average intelligence. They have to have the
consent of their parents and there must be present some emotional maladjustment. These
youngsters must be at least one and a half years behind in their ability to read.

They work in groups of four or five children for one hour twice a week and occasionally
a child who seems incapable of working with a group is taken individually until it
reaches a point where it can function with the other children.

Mothers cooperate in this program and are interviewed by a psychiatric worker before
the child goes to the clinic. Sometimes they are seen as often as once a week and
the psychiatric social worker also keeps in close touch with the reading counselor
so that there is coordination among all those who must help the child.

These children must also be examined physically, so as to be sure to discover and
correct anything that might lead to the emotional problem. A speech diagnosis is made
by a specialist who provides for treatment if the examination indicates that the child
needs treatment in order to speak better.

When the youngsters reach the reading level of their grades they graduate and, as
I told you before, on my visit to one of the clinics I was told that one child when
asked what graduation meant replied, "One of the best things that has happened to
me since I have learned to read is that I am no longer afraid of books."

The children I saw seemed happy and eager to learn and there was a wonderful feeling
of friendship between the teacher and the children. I hope very much that as many
of these clinics as are really needed may be established throughout the country, since
they may save us far greater trouble with these children later on.